Intense rauchbier using Best Malz rauch malt, advice please

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by 7ways, Mar 28, 2012.

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  1. 7ways

    7ways Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2008 Georgia

    I've made two smoked beers in the past using Weyermann and while they were very good, the smokiness just wasn't there for me. So this time I had easy access to Best Malz, and I used it thinking it would be somewhat similar to Weyermann. I was wrong.

    I transferred it to secondary last night after 22 days in primary. I drank the sample I pulled off for a gravity check, and the aroma made my eyes water! It literally tastes like campfire; too intense for me, and I love me some Schlenkerla. I do not remember this kind of intensity at this part of the process last time.

    So, opinions? Is this anyone else's experience with this malt? How long would you guess it should remain in secondary, and at what temperature? I'm planning on kegging, but wouldn't be opposed to bottling.

    OG 1.052
    FG 1.015
    25 IBUs
    77% rauchmalt
    1 packet us05 + 1 packet us04 pitched at 67*F (I forgot to make the damn starter for the vial of WLP029!)

    Fermented 65 - 67*F for the first week, 67 - 69*F for the next two weeks, currently in secondary at 68 - 70*F.

    Thanks.
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #1 7ways, Mar 28, 2012
  2. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    I have not used that type of malt. I just keged a Rauchbier with a similar grain bill using the Weyermann's. I drank my sample and thought it lacked the amount of flavor I expected. My thought is that my 90 min. boil lost some of the flavor. I will cool down a keg and try it this week. I usualy leave my beer on the yeast for 3 weeks then keg or bottle. Rauchbier is supposed to be lagered. I don't always lager mine depending on the time of year or how many kegs are in my fridge. Good luck!
     
    #2 premierpro, Mar 28, 2012
  3. 7ways

    7ways Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2008 Georgia


    Thanks for the reply. I always go 3 weeks in primary too, I don't even bother taking a gravity reading until then. I did a 75 minute boil, and it didn't fade one bit.

    Since I used ale yeast this time, would lagering still be beneficial?
     
    #3 7ways, Mar 28, 2012
  4. michaeltrego

    michaeltrego Crusader (447) May 21, 2004 New Hampshire

    I used 30% Best Malz rauch malt in a smoked oatmeal stout recently and it came out really nice. It was my first attempt at a rauchbier, and I would definitely brew it again. When my wife tried it, she said "Hmm...reminds me of meat."
     
    #4 michaeltrego, Mar 28, 2012
  5. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    Yes. Lagering will smooth out this beer the same as it would if you used Lager yeast.
     
    #5 premierpro, Mar 29, 2012
  6. 7ways

    7ways Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2008 Georgia

    Good to know, thanks. I'm thinking 40*F for a month, then a taste test.
     
    #6 7ways, Mar 29, 2012
  7. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    The colder the better.
     
    #7 premierpro, Mar 29, 2012
  8. ryane

    ryane Initiate (0) Nov 21, 2007 Washington

    I did a smoked beer using 50% briess cherry smoked malt (so very fresh) last year and its been sitting in the keg in my fridge for ~1.5yrs now and its just starting to come around, maybe at the end of the summer it will be good
     
    #8 ryane, Mar 29, 2012
  9. 7ways

    7ways Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2008 Georgia

    Holy shit.
     
    #9 7ways, Mar 29, 2012
  10. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    I think the key to using Weyermann is to really nail the base Maerzen style first. I recently brewed a batch based on the recipe that won Best of Show at the AHA National Homebrew Competition. It is about 70-72% Weyermann smoked malt, but it came out smokier than any of my other attempts, a few of which contained 98% Smoked malt. As to the Briess, I tend to avoid it, as I just don't like the cherrywood flavor that's imparted. Have never used Best Malz. Still, it seems that striking a delicate balance is the key to unlocking the smoke flavors from the Weyermann malt. Also time is a key factor...my beer has been in the keg for 14 weeks and it just gets better and better with each sampling. Plan to enter what's left in a competition in May.
     
    #10 herrburgess, Mar 29, 2012
  11. 7ways

    7ways Initiate (0) Sep 7, 2008 Georgia

    Interesting, thanks. 14 weeks post-fermentation is a long time to wait for beer!
    Based on the multitude of commercial smoked beers I've drank, I came to the conclusion that the smoke will fade if given too long aging in the bottle, replaced by an almost sour twang. I guess there is a sweet spot somewhere.
     
    #11 7ways, Mar 30, 2012
  12. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Once the beer is filtered and off any yeast, it will certainly fade. Interestingly enough, the Rauchbier that won Best of Show was in the keg for 16 months -- that's right, not weeks, but months -- before it was bottled and sent to the AHA Finals. Pretty crazy.
     
    #12 herrburgess, Mar 30, 2012
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